Joyce Weiss

I work with organizations and individuals who want to kick conflict and chaos to the curb - Communication Strategist and Master Coach

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How to Repair Generational Conflict: Part 6

Hi Again! 🙂

This article is #six in my 6 part series on how to repair generational conflict.  You will learn or relearn about Generation Edge.  They were born between 1996 – 2010 and are known as Gen Z and digital natives.  They are financially conscious and save for college – something that they learned from their Gen X parents.  YouTube is the place they visit for uplifting messages from their favorite stars.

Gen Edge:  How to Repair Generational Conflict Idea #1

Gen Edge Legacy in the Workplace repair generational conflict

  • Diverse and inclusive
  • They will leave if they see injustice
  • Resilient
  • Want feedback and support
  • Parents taught them practicality
  • Will persevere through tying projects, clients and times

Gen Edge:  How to Repair Generational Conflict Idea #2

Gen Edge Key Events

  • On-demand entertainment repair generational issues
  • Citizen journalism
  • YouTube
  • The Great Recession
  • Visual communications

Gen Edge:  How to Repair Generational Conflict Idea #3

Gen Edge Traits

  • Connected
  • Diverse
  • Resilient
  • Pragmatic

Gen Edge:  How to Repair Generational Conflict Idea #4

Gen Edge Values

  • Stability
  • Personalization
  • Equality
  • Resourcefulness

Thoughts from Joyce

  • Get involved with those who you don’t know
  • Discuss differences and find common ground – don’t judge each other for being different
  • Discover how these differences can support each other’s efforts
  • Get to know how the chain of command works to avoid pitfalls
  • Help each other with communication and technical skills
  • Set clear expectations
  • Include all generations at meetings and in decisions

I hope you enjoyed this 6 part series and welcome any comments or questions that you have on how to repair generational conflict.

I want to hear from you

Add a comment to my blog on how you repair generational conflict.

You will receive a response from me because I enjoy connecting with my readers! 🙂  You are always welcome to send me a private email
with concerns that you are experiencing at work.

Until next time,

Joyce Weiss, M.A., CSP
Career Coach and Corporate Communication Strategist

Have a great week.

Remember, YOU Get What You Tolerate!  

PS

Read part 1 on how to repair generational conflict HERE
Read part 2 (traditionalists) on how to repair generational conflict HERE
Read part 3 (baby boomers) on how to repair generational conflict HERE
Read part 4 (generation X) on how to repair generational conflict HERE
Read part 5 (millennials) on how to repair generational conflict HERE

 

 

 

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How to Repair Generational Conflict: Part 5

repair generational conflictHello again!

This article is #5 in my 6 part series on How to Repair Generational Conflict.  You will read information about the Millennial Generation.  Millennials were born between 1980-1995.  There are 82 million millennials – a larger generation than baby boomers!  They were in school when Apple released the iPhone.  They expect constant connectivity and innovation on social media.

Millennials:  Repair Generational Conflict Idea #1

Millennials Bring the following Legacy to the Workplace:

  • Informal and authentic
  • Casual dressers
  • Collaborative since stay connected online with others
  • Love brainstorming sessions

Millennials:  Repair Generational Conflict Idea #2

Millennial Key Events repair generational conflict

  • Tech upgrade cycle
  • Self-esteem movement
  • The great recession
  • Homeland violence –  Columbine high school massacre/911 terrorist attack
  • Encouraged to share what’s on their minds with parents and teachers
  • Feel comfortable going up to CEO to make a lunch date or chat

Millennials:  Repair Generational Conflict Idea # 3

Millennial Values

  • Integrity
  • Innovation
  • Efficiency
  • Speed

I want to hear from You

Add a comment to my blog on how you repair generational conflict.

You will receive a response from me because I enjoy connecting with my readers! 🙂  You are always welcome to send me a private email
with concerns that you are experiencing at work.

Until next time,

Joyce Weiss, M.A., CSP
Career Coach and Corporate Communication Strategist

Have a great week.

Remember, YOU Get What You Tolerate!  

PS
Read part 1 on how to repair generational conflict HERE
Read part 2 (traditionalists) on how to repair generational conflict HERE
Read part 3 (baby boomers) on how to repair generational conflict HERE
Read part 4 (generation X) on how to repair generational conflict HERE

 

 

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Collaboration Strategies to Reduce Stress in the Workplace  

Do you want to:

  • Use new collaboration strategies to improve communication?
  • Increase respect in the workplace?
  • Reduce conflict and stress?
  • Re-energize your team?

If you said “yes” to even one question – Please continue reading! All teams need a wake-up call from time to time – an energy boost or an attitude adjustment.

How do you know when it’s time for your team to get re-energized?

  • Look at them. Is there energy in the team?
  • Are they communicating with respect?
  • Do your teams make time for stress relief exercises?
  • Are people excited about work?
  • Are employees talking to each other?
  • Is there laughter and fun in the air?

If you answered “no” to even one of these questions, then it could be time for you to initiate your team for ideas on how to use new collaboration strategies, increase respect, and reduce stress.  It helps if you are open and will use some of their ideas.

For many companies, it’s the “same old” routine day in and day out. People grudgingly go through the motions of work, but they don’t have their heart into it. There’s so much stress or negativity in the air that you can cut it with a knife. The silence is deafening, and when someone does talk, it’s laced with sarcasm and retaliation – there is an overabundance of conflict in the workplace.

But work doesn’t have to be this way. You can help your team learn new facts about stress so everyone is focused and having fun again.

Here’s how:

Collaboration Strategies #1:  Create a stress relief committee Collaboration Strategies

Ask for volunteers to head a stress relief committee. Typically the people who want this role are the overly optimistic people who are full of energy anyway, but that’s okay.

You need someone to take the lead. Empower the committee to determine when the team needs to do various stress relief exercises and allow them to organize a group break so everyone can recharge.

Collaboration Strategies #2:  Ask the group for their input Collaboration Strategies

Ask them the question – What does respect mean?
You can’t mandate what the team “should” do to reduce stress and re-energize. That approach will always backfire because someone (or maybe everyone) will think the activity is “dumb” or a “waste of time.” Therefore, have the stress relief committee find out what each person would like to do to reduce stress and increase respect in the workplace.

It could be anything from:

  • Bringing in a chair masseuse once a month
  • Getting everyone to dance to some upbeat music
  • Having a 15-minute silence break.

There are numerous collaborations strategies and I will include more examples in the next article.  The possibilities are endless so long as you get everyone’s input.

Collaboration Strategies #3:  Address the nay-sayers

Invariably you’ll have at least one person who won’t want to go along with the group’s activity. The key to winning this person over is to find out what he or she needs to do to reduce stress. Whatever you do, don’t let the nay-sayer sit out from the designated activity. That will only cause others to look down on him or her and erode the team’s spirit and increase workplace gossip.

Instead, say to the person, “As the manager, it’s my job to make sure everyone has some stress relief. Tell me what will help you re-energize.” Listen to what the person says and do that activity next (as long as he or she participates in the current activity).

Let’s Get Real

Everyone needs a fun break from time to time – an escape from the stresses of work and life. So give your team the opportunity to discuss how to reduce stress and which collaboration strategies work for them. By doing so, they’ll have the strength and creativity to get more done in less time – and with better results.

Was this helpful?

Send me an email or add your thoughts in the comment section.
Feel free to share these collaboration strategies with your team.

This is Joyce Weiss
Corporate Communication Strategist and Career Coach

Until next time, Remember…”You Get What You Tolerate!”

P.S.  Read more articles and listen to podcasts at our Team Building Strategies Knowledge Base.

 

 

 

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Team Building Strategies to Create Open Communication

Team building is successful when employees feel safe to share ideas on how company policies can be improved. Communication issues are uncovered when I interview both leaders and their direct reports on what is working and not working with the team.  I take this information and create a personalized training for the company.  This only works with companies whose leaders are open to constructive feedback.  Team Building training will backfire when employees feel it’s the program of the month for appearance sake only.  Morale and trust are deflated when employees “know” that nothing will change after these sessions.

  • Are you a leader who wants to hear what your employees are talking about at the water cooler and use this information constructively?
  • Are you an emerging leader who wants to know how to create successful team building strategies during meetings?
  • Are you tired of the status quo and want to see positive change and results at work?

This article contains  3 team building strategies to help you create some interesting and productive conversations with your team.  All of these ideas are team building strategies that my clients use successfully during staff meetings.

Team Building Strategy #1:  Make the meeting safe

Everyone in the room is told that the feedback that I share is anonymous since all departments and job functions were interviewed.  Only patterns are shared.  There are usually negative or cynical employees who don’t trust this system. They have attended other training and nothing seems to change. This elephant in the room is addressed immediately.  All I ask is for everyone to give the training a chance before they judge the process.  If you decide to take these ideas and use them for your own training be prepared for these necessary and tough discussions!

team building

Team Building Strategy #2:  Share patterns from the interviews

The patterns are revealed.  The most important part of the training happens when employees and leaders answer the following questions in small groups:

  • What do we need to be talking about?
  • Let’s now beat around the bush.
  • What issues haven’t we been talking about?
  • How is this currently impacting you and how will this impact our future?

Another important “rule” is to make sure names are not used and blaming is not the purpose of the team building program.  It’s all about change, openness, trust, and results.  

Team Building Strategy #3:  Be specific when giving feedback

Take time to choose your words wisely so that you convey exactly what you mean – you can’t assume that people know what you want.

When giving feedback use the following 2 strategies:

  • Don’t use vague communication such as, “We need to sell more products.”
    Suggest that, “We need to create at least 2 new products in order to keep up with the competition.”
  • Don’t use hazy messages by saying, “Everyone needs to be to work on time.”
    Tell others, “We begin working with members at 8:00 am each day.”

This one team building strategy will improve communication within the entire company.  Hopefully, people will stop mind reading what others need from each other.

Team Building Strategies #3:  Ask important questions to change the status quo

The results from the phone interviews are shared after employees are face to face in the training and discuss their important feedback.
The following questions are asked during the phone interviews:

What if you were the CEO or President and had your own set of rules to keep your customers/clients?

  • What would you do differently?
  • What restrictions would you remove?
  • How would you treat your star employees?
  • How would you handle poor behavior?

So Joyce, what are your thoughts about creating successful team building training?

There are a couple of ways to conduct the important training sessions.  You can have both management and employees together depending on the trust level in your company.  You can also divide the training so management and employees work separately.  Once the training is complete the results are given to both management and employees.  I conduct an executive debriefing to discuss what changes will be made as a result of the research and employee input.  The real magic comes when employees are included in the last part so they feel that they were heard.  Of course, some of the ideas will not be used but being listened to is the #1 factor to improve your morale.  These team building strategies work!

I want to hear from you

Send me your questions or comments on what team building strategies you use.  What works and what challenges do you still experience with your team.  I will answer all comments.  Feel free to email your questions or concerns that you don’t want to share with others. 

Learn how Joyce Weiss can leverage her 30+ years of communication and leadership consulting and coaching experience to help your organization address team building strategies here.

 

This is Joyce Weiss, Communications Strategist and Coach
Until next time, Remember…”You Get What You Tolerate!”

PS Read more articles and listen to podcasts at our Team Building Strategies Knowledge Base 

 

 

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Collaboration Strategies to Improve Generational Communication

Collaboration Strategies are possible even when there is so much conflict between generations in your workplace.  At times respect for each other doesn’t exist.  Yet there are numerous organizations that have figured out how to celebrate such diversity. 

Have you heard these comments at work?

  • Baby Boomers and the Silent Generation think the younger workers are lazy and disrespectful.
  • The younger generations (Generation X and the Millennials) think the older workers are stuck in their ways and too closed-minded.

Despite these differences, people from the varying generations must work together productively for the company to succeed. If they let their generational outlooks get in the way, the conflict will never be resolved.  The ideas in this article come from clients who have figured out this communication challenge.

Use the following 4 Collaboration Strategies to overcome generational differences so everyone can get along:

Collaboration Strategies #1:  Know each other’s preferences

In a nutshell, the Silent Generation and the Baby Boomers prefer face-to-face communication. They like consensus, and they expect everyone to respect authority. They don’t like conflict and will avoid it at all costs.

Generation X and the Millennials thrive on online meetings. They twitter each other and use e-mail the majority of the time. They’re not afraid to confront others; they want their voices heard. They dislike being on teams and prefer to work alone.

While we can’t automatically assume every single person in a particular generation behaves and thinks a certain way, knowing the generalities is a great first step. Therefore, take the initiative to learn about the other generations on your team. The more you understand their point of view and what events shaped their lives, the more you’ll be able to work with them without conflict.

Collaboration Strategies #2:  Spend time with each other

Simply knowing each other’s preferences is one thing; it’s another to actually spend time learning from the person. Remember that learning and mentoring is a two-way street. Just as younger people can learn things from older people, the older generation can definitely learn from the “kids.”

As you do this, realize that you’ll likely have to make compromises. For example, a younger person can teach an older person about some new computer communication tool. The younger person will need to employ patience during the training, and the older person will need to keep an open mind to the new technology. You’ll also have to confront your own personal biases and work through them. Everyone benefits when barriers are removed.

collaboration strategies

Collaboration Strategies #3:  Be open to talking things out

The older people don’t understand what all the pierced noses and tattoos are about.  The younger people can’t comprehend how someone can be so loyal to a company. Instead of just wondering in silence, it’s time to talk it out ­ with the very people you don’t understand. As long as the conversation stays respectful and doesn’t turn into an accusatory yelling match, it will be a healthy way to gain a broader understanding of each other. The sooner you start the conversation, the quicker you’ll resolve differences.

Collaboration Strategies #4:  Bridge the Gap

Generational differences can be tough. However, when you are open and honest and take the time to really listen to each other, you can overcome any perceived differences ­ real or otherwise. A little generational understanding can go a long way to boosting the company’s bottom line.

Collaboration Strategies 2

I want to hear from you

Send me your questions or comments on what is and what is not working with generational communication at your organization. 

Read More on Collaboration Strategies to Improve Communication Between Generations.

Visit our team building knowledge base for more resources on Collaboration Strategies.

This is Joyce Weiss, Communications Strategist and Coach

Do you want to discover how our services can help you improve your organization’s communication? 
Visit our team building service page

Until next time, Remember…“You Get What You Tolerate!”

Contact Joyce

Joyce Weiss
6737 Oyster Cove
West Bloomfield, MI 48323

Email: joyce@joyceweiss.com
Phone: 1-248-681-5831

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